"مجلد I مذكرات بخصوص بلاد فارس والمنطقة الحدودية الشمالية الغربية. ١٩٠٥." [و‎‎٦] (٣١٠/١٦)

5
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that nothing would be clone which would in
any way infringe his rights as laid down by
firman.
19. Bushire .—See Memorandum for
December, paragraph 12. The lists asked for
on the 16th December have been sent by the
Political Resident to the Government of India
and to the Ministry at Tehran. As an after-
math of the episode of the 1st December, he
reported on the 2nd January that attempts
had been made to obtain possession of British
mail bags at Mohammerah, Lingah, and
Bandar Abbas. At the last-mentioned port
four bags from S. S. “ Nowshera” were actually
seized on the 15th December, and only released
alter being opened in the custom house.
Major Cox adds that he has induced the
Director-General to restrain the energv of his
subordinates, pending settlement of the question
at issue, and that mails are now unmolested.
On the 10th January, a customs official
boarded the British India Steam Naviga
tion S. S. “ Goalpara”, with a letter from
the Director, calling on the Commander to
deliver up “ certain arms belonging to some
Arabs going to Basrah”. It was discovered
that this requisition had reference to some
arms and ammunition belonging to Turkish
soldiers who were transhipping at Bushire, on
their way from Bahrein to Basrah. In reply
to a protest from Major Cox, the Director of
customs claimed that the r^glement douanier
justified the confiscation of any arms found
on ships in Persian waters, irrespective of
their destination. In reporting the above,
Major Cox points out that, if this Contention
be admitted, the Commanders of British India
boats will be at the mercy of the customs
officials, who simply susp- nd cargo work if
their demands are not complied with. On
the 13th January, Major Cox reported
that the Turkish Vice-Consul had appealed
to him in regard to the Turkish soldiers.
The party consisted of three Turkish officers,
and 12 men returning home from service
in A1 Hassa, with their families, and
a quantity of regimental arms, ammunition,
and tents. On the Vice-Consul and the officers
assuring him that the arms and ammunition
were the property of the lurkish Government,
Major Cox transferred the whole party under
his own guard to the Basrah mail, which left
Bushire on the 13th January.
Sir Arthur llardinge is endeavouring to
induce Mons. Naus to recognize some limits to
the jurisdiction of the customs authorities over
vessels in the Persian Gulf as regards the
confiscation of arms.
20. It is reported that the customs
department has received instructions from
the central authorities to build a house at the